Grain-unloading device



Aug. 26, 1930. v A. BOUCHARD 0 GRAIN UNLOADING DEVICE Filed Jan. 12, 1929 2 Shawls-Sheet l INvE NTOR Aug. 26, 1930. A. BoucHARb GRAIN UNLOADING DEVICE Filed- Jan. 12, 1929 2 Shoots-Sheet 2 Flc.7

INVENTOR. 2'.- W

ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 26, 193( ARTHUR BoUoHARnor LOR AINVIL EQQ E E Guiana enAIn-UuLoAmne nnvicn' Application filed January 12, @225; Serial 11:54:32,010.

My'invention relates to a grain sheaf unloading devicelas described in this specification and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

The main object of my invention is to provide a simple device for quickly unloading grain sheaves from a carriage, thus resulting in a very appreciable saving in labor; anotherobject is to so construct the device that it may be folded into a very small spaceand not be apt to break or become damaged when handled carelessly. Although the device was primarily developed to unload grain sheaves it may have other useful applications where unloading is to effected quickly by dumping.

In the drawings: Figure 1 illustrates the application of my inventiomthe device being ready to be operated to lift a load of sheaves off a carriage for ultimate dumping at a desired place;

Figure 2 shows a portion of'one offour corner or lifting chains; C

Figure 3' is a perspective view of the chain releasing mechanism;

Figure 1 is a side view ofthe main member orsliank ofv the chain releasing mechanism Figure 5 is another member of the chain releasing mechanism;

Figure 6 illustrates my method of fasten-V ing the net corner rings to the corresponding chains;

' Figure 7 1s a side view of the clevis;

Figure 8 1s a planview of the washer. Like numerals of reference lndicate, corresponding parts in the various figures.

Referring to the drawings, and particular- I 1y to Figure 1, a net 10 is used to receive or carry the grain sheaves 11 when raised from the carriage 12' (shown here diagrammatically only). Ks will upon the carnage and the sheaves laid side by side into rows andbuilt into "piles in the same'way as wood is p1led into cords. While in thisfigure, these sheaves are not shownas' laid over the entire surface of the net, it is to be understood that in practice the net is fully covered. I have found by numerous experiments that a very satisfactory net may be made of a rop'e13 forming the four sides igaged by the be clearlyunderstood by I referring to Figure 1, the net 10'is laid fiat of aflrectangle and other ropesl laid crosswise to form fairly small rectangles, the

ropes being tied where they cross or meet," I

with suitable knots. v I I I The net 10 is provided with four corner metal rings 16 and 16A for suspending or hanging the netfrom chains or suspension Inembers-17 ancl 17A. Each of the chains 17 and 17A has a hook 18 (see Figure 2) made to engage in any of the "chain-links, so thatieach chain may be inadeto carry one. cornerof the net by passing or threading. the

chain through the corresponding corner ring} a (17 or 17A asthe case may be) folding the V, I

chain back and hooking into a chain'link (see Figure 7').

The'chains17 and 17A are hung or depend from a block or chain releasing mechanism 20 whichin turn is hung from the overhead carrier of conventional design indicated by numeral 21.

Two of the chains, namely those shown as 17A, are. permanently attached toithe releasing mechanism 20 or more particularly 7 to abolt 21 passed through the shank 22,,

and the "other two chains," namely those shown as 17, can be released orallowedto (lIOpiby slidingoif thehinged lever 23 when it swings downwardly upon the operation of the latch 24 by a pull on the rope 25.

Thu,s,the sheaves can be dumued by releasf ing the chains 17 to cause the net to drop at one ,end. The lever is pivoted as at and on a pin 26 on which turns a clevis 27 enoperating or release rope when raised, or in its closed The lever,

engages with the position (see Figure 3) latch 24 which is normally held down by 'a spring 28 compressed betweenv the latch and. a Washer 30; the washer bears against the clevis 31 which is pivotally mounted onthe shank 22 as with a bolt 32. i a

The lever 23 is preferablyformed at33 as shown, to cause the uppermost link of each of the-chains 17 to slip down until it is in substantially the longitudinal axisof thereleasing mechanism; thus the shank 22 will hang in a substantially vertical posi- I tion. 7 I

7 One or more nets may be used side by side according to the size of the carriage used or the hoisting capacity of the overhead apparatus used; and where the strength of the carriage admits, two or more nets may be used one above the other with each its own load of sheaves.

Operation: The net 10 is laid out fiat upon a carriage and conveyed therewith to the places in the field where the sheaves are to be gathered. The sheaves aremade into piles upon the net and conveyed to the barn where they are to be stored. The carriage is Wheeled into the barn and placed under the overhead track, the overhead carriage pulled to a position above the centre of the carriage. The chains 17 and 17A are fastened as already described, to the corner rings 18 and 18A, the lever 23 released or swung downwardly by pulling down on the release rope 25, the uppermost links or rings of the chain 17 are slipped over the lever, and the lever swung back and locked by the latch 24. The net is next raised and conveyed over to the particular place in the barn where the sheaves are to beunloaded or dumped. A pull of the rope 25 releases the latch and the chains 17 drop, causing the net to fall at one end and therefore dumping the sheaves.

What I claim is:

In a grain sheaf unloading device, a mechanism adapted to be suspended above the round having suspension members dependmg therefrom and operating to release a number of said suspension members, a net adapted to receive the sheaves and suspendable from said suspension members, and means in said suspension members adapted for altering the effective length thereof.

Si ned at Ville-Marie, Quebec, this 21st day of December, 1928.

ARTHUR BOUCHARD. 

